Monday, July 23, 2012

Earlier this year I signed up for a workshop at Big Picture Classes called Twelve. Each month I was to do 12 pages based on 12 different themes. I kept up for a while but then got a way from it due to working on some vacation theme albums. I was still scrapbooking (which is always good) but I wasn't scrapbooking the Twelve.

This month I took a little break from working on a theme album (currently our trip to New York for my 40th birthday) and got my 12 pages done.

People

Me

Holiday

Places

Everyday Life

Seasons

Fun

Rituals

Inspiration

Family Stories

Personality

The one unconventional project was for Things. I did a mini-album for Bug-A-Boo about her toys. You can see the whole album here.

Friday, July 20, 2012

Awhile ago I took some pictures of some of Bug-A-Boo's favorite toys/stuffed animals thinking that I would put together a PAS (Photo Album Scrapbook) for her. I think that it was actually last year and I have just now gotten around to putting it together.

While shopping at Joann for items for Bug-A-Boo's birthday party we saw some fabric that featured Merida from BRAVE. Well, as soon as she saw it she wanted it. Well, I wasn't just going to buy her fabric so I asked her if she would like for me to make her a dress out of it and she very excitedly said, "YES, momma, yes!"

About a year ago I had made my first attempt at sewing clothes and made her a pillowcase dress using Simplicity pattern #2391. I also used the same pattern to make her a pair of pants. Both came out pretty good.

I figured I would stick with what I knew and decided to use the same patterns again.

I bought all of my materials and while pinning the pattern to the fabric realized that since the picture on the fabric had to go a certain direction, I hadn't bought enough of it. I was able to get one panel for the dress cut out and I had a lot of fabric left over.

I took out my other patterns and realized I had enough left over fabric to make her a pillowcase top and a pair of pants. I knew I was in for a lot of sewing.

I went back to Joann and got more of the licensed Disney fabric and was able to finish the dress. Everything came out really cute and Bug-A-Boo loves it. She says she is going to wear the pants and top for her "family" party and the dress for her "friends" party.

Thursday, July 19, 2012

I have finished the essential items for Bug-A-Boo's BRAVE birthday party. These were all so much fun to make and I can't wait for the party.

The first thing I did was go to Joann and buy all of my supplies. For the log toss I was able to get a piece of foam (on sale) that was 5 inches thick and I had them cut it 4-1/2 feet long. I wanted the "logs" to be taller than the kids and figured this was a good length. I then found some Heidi Swapp fabric that looked like wood grain and I got 3 yards of it to cover my foam "logs". Once I got home I cut the foam into 5 inch wide "logs" and then started sewing the wood covers.

One thing I was struggling to figure out was the archery target. I knew I needed a large circle frame of some kind that I could cover in burlap but would have the back open so that arrows could go through a hole that would be cut in the middle. I finally found the solution at Joann. I bought a large embroidery hoop. I purchased 1 yard of burlap and was able to fashion a target from that. I used basic craft paint for the bullseye. One problem I ran into was that when I hung the target up you weren't able to see the paint because the light shone through the burlap. I got a piece of cardboard and cut it to fit the hoop and solved the problem.

The last and biggest project were the corn hole boards. I went to Home Depot and had a piece of plywood cut into three 4' x 2' boards. Then I nicely asked the associate in tool rental if he had a round saw blade at least 6" that could cut out the holes. He did and even better was when he offered to cut them out for me. It was quite a project and he blew threw about 7 or 8 batteries for his drill before pulling out "The Beast" (a plug-in drill that was huge), but he got it done and they didn't charge me. I love Home Depot.

In order to prop the boards up we bought 3 pieces of scrap wood that were 4' long and about 12" wide. We got some brackets and I put them together. It worked perfectly. I used leftover primer and paint from another home project to paint the boards and basic craft paint to paint the triplets. I used leftover wood grain fabric and rice to make the beanbags for tossing.

I can't wait for the party! Once I get the other decorations and ideas ready I will post them.

ABOUT ME

For as long as I can remember I have been a creative soul. I was always drawing or coloring as a child and as a teenager I started scrapbooking. Photos from school events, newspaper clipping, mementos, and other assorted stuff. I was a designer on my high school yearbook staff and an illustrator for the high school newspaper.

When I went to college, my plan was to be a journalist or broadcaster. I took an entry level graphic design course and my major was signed. Technically, I was an Art major with a concentration in Graphic Design and I minored in both Advertising and Broadcast and Cinematic Arts.

As fate would have it I ended up in a career in Broadcasting (which was my first love) however my love of art is always with me.

As an adult my one major creative outlet has been scrapbooking. I love it! It is a way for me to work creatively with my hands and preserve precious memories for my family. I have made so many friends through scrapbooking and have over 20 completed books. It is a never-ending process to scrap our lives, but I’m making headway and hope that I never catch up.

CAST OF CHARACTERS

Crafty Chick:

That's me!

Prince Charming:

My dear husband, Tom, who I married in 2003 and am still madly in love with.